Men Can Breastfeed — Seriously!

Weird alert! Besides enhancing the pectorals of the male species, male nipples can actually play a purpose other than decoration. Since men posses both mammary glands and pituitary glands––the essentials for lactation — they also have the ability to breastfeed. When the factors align properly, some doctors believe that men can partake in nourishing their children in the same way as women. Though this doesn’t happen in everyday circumstances, in some rare instances, men have been the breastfeeders.In one African tribe, the Akas, men breastfeeding is commonplace, although no milk is produced. In this hunter-gatherer society, men play an equal role in caregiving as the women. So when a baby is in search of breast milk, although the Aka men can’t actually supply milk, males will still allow the children to suck on their nipples to fulfill the oral urge.

In another case, one Sri Lankan man whose wife had passed away offered his newborn daughter his nipple because she refused a bottle. To his surprise, he learned that he was lactating and could actually feed her. His unique ability was due to having a hyperactive prolactine hormone, which is the hormone for producing milk.

So men, take note, because even if you can’t produce milk, you can still calm and satiate your child’s craving when the baby mama isn’t around! [Mom Logic]